The brackets will be finalized today, and the tournament starts at host Richmond Hill on Tuesday.

The Warriors set the tone early against a Bradwell squad that is better than the final scored indicated. But the Tigers (14-11, 10-4) just didn’t have the depth and athleticism necessary to get past the incessant defense that defines the Warriors.

Jenkins had five steals in the first quarter as seven different players scored in the first eight minutes.

“We came in with the mindset that we wanted to head into the region tournament on a good note,” Bryant said. “I was impressed that we played team ball and had good chemistry no matter who was on the floor — from the starters to the JV.”

Senior guard Brenden Carter buried a trey from the left wing to give the Warriors an 8-7 lead with 3:30 left in the first quarter, and Jenkins never looked back.

On the next possession Quasean Harris converted a tough and-one three-point play, then Jamelle Lanier followed by swishing a 3-pointer from the left corner. Jahmel Thomas completed the 8-0 run by battling in the paint for a tip in as Jenkins took control.

“We had confidence, we felt it, and we just let it go,” said Carter, who scored 16 points, while converting 6 of 8 from the free throw line. “We wanted to come into the tournament strong because we feel like we have a team that can win it all.”

Everyone got a chance to contribute for the Warriors as 16 players scored. Jenkins knocked down 13 3-pointers on the night and converted a pair of four-point plays.

After taking a 40-20 lead at intermission, the Warriors put on a long-distance shooting display to start the third quarter.

Carter hit his second 3 of the night from the left wing, and Lanier followed with a bucket from the left corner, absorbing contact and converting the free throw for a four-point play. On the next possession he buried another from beyond the arc from the same spot.

“That was my first four-point play of the year,” said Lanier, who hit four 3-pointers among his 13 points.

The third quarter was a long and drawn out affair, with plenty of fouls called as the Warriors outscored the Tigers 35-5 in the period.

“We like to get after it and we play physical, that’s part of the game,” Lanier said. “Our coaches have taught us to respect every opponent, and we’re becoming better as players and people because of it.”

Malik Benlevi had the Warrior’s other four-point play, late in the third quarter.

Warrior guard Romaine Gray had three 3-pointers, with two coming on consecutive possessions in the third quarter, when Jenkins knocked down six treys.

The senior was also a ball hawk on defense, playing in the Warriors’ full-court press that kept Bradwell off balance all night.

“I get as much satisfaction making a steal as I do making a 3-pointer,” said Gray, who had 16 points. “When you play good defense on this team, you are going to get rewarded on the offensive side.”

The Jenkins bench got some solid minutes in the fourth quarter, but the uptempo mentality never changed as the Warriors continued to press.

Sophomore Darnell Sams fired up his teammates by knocking down a pair of treys from the left wing as the Warriors never let up.

Last year, Jenkins was a half-court buzzer-beater away from reaching the Class AAAAA Final Four. Nearly everyone is back from that team — ready to make another run.

“Everyone played scrappy, passed the ball, made layups and we hit a lot of shots,” Bryant said. “We played relentless defense, but one thing we need to work on is our free throw shooting. We’re excited about the playoffs.”